Hinge applying machine



June 18, 1940. TRIOLO 6 HINGE APPLYING MACHINE Filed June 28, 1938 5Sheets-Sheet 1 QM N:

I g a ATTORNEY.

LOUIS TRIOLO ATTORNEY.

June 18, 1940. 1.. TRIOLO HINGE APPLYING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledJune 28, 1938 INVENTOR. LOUIS TRIOLO K M ATTORNEY.

June 18, 1940. L. TRIOLO I 2,205,367

HINGE APPLYING MACHINE I 7 Filed June 28, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 E6 5 T EINVENTOR. LOUIS TRIOLO BY 4 f6;

ATTORNEY.

June 18, 1940. TRIOLQ HINGE APPLYING MACHINE Filed June 28, 1938 5Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. LOUIS TRIOLO,

ATTORNEY.

R Y Q m%\ @N fl N 2;: N? M\\ %N k IQI Patented June 18, 1940 PATENTOFFICE 2,205,367 HINGE APPLYING MACHINE Louis Triolo, Brooklyn, N. Y.,assignor to Imperial Paper Box Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application June 28, 1938, Serial No. 216,395

15 Claims. (01. 93-55) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in automatic machinery for box manufacture-and relates morespecifically to a tape applying machine.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a novelmachine for applying gummed strips of paper or other flexible materialto a box and its cover to form a hinge member,

and the machine is particularly adapted fbm' applying strips of theflexible hinge material to boxes of paper,- cardboard, or othermaterials having cover members of substantially the same height as thebox proper. In other words, a box, usually substantially rectangular inshape, is formed having a base portion and side and end walls, and acover member is also formed having a top portion and also side and endwalls.

In order to hingedly mount the cover on such a box it'has heretoforebeen the practice to place the box and cover adjacent to each other withthe side walls thereof in meeting engagement, and then manually apply astrip of adhesive tape or hinge material to the upper meeting edges ofsuch side walls of the box and cover, and to manually press the marginaledges of the tape into firm engagement with the inner surfaces of theopposed side walls of the box and cover, respectively.

This method of manual application of the hinge is slow and tedious andthe results are,

uncertain since the operator does not normally exert enough pressureupon the adhesive mate'- rial, and the result is a hinge connection ofuncertain stability. I

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a machinewhich will perform this entire operation automatically. To this end theinvention comprises a machine provided, first, with a pair ofsubstantially horizontal, vertically spaced conveyor belts upon whichthe components of the box are fed, one conveyor receiving the covermembers and the other members. A box and a cover membervare thusalternately fed from their respective conveyors onto another horizontalconveyor moving at right angles to the first conveyors. This latterconveyor which, for convenience, is termed the master conveyor, isintermittently movable and is provided with means for holding theadjacent rear side walls of the box and cover in meeting engagement forapplication of the flexible hinge strip. The box and cover having beenmoved into meeting engagement on the master conveyor,

they. are then caused to travel forward to an one the box advancedposition wherein they are stopped. for application of the hinge. deviceincludes an arm which is longitudinally movable horizontally at rightangles to the master conveyor. The end of the arm has means for graspingthe terminal of a web of the flexible gummed hinge material one-quarterinch or more in width, and drawing the tape over the length of themeeting rear side walls of the box and cover. As the arm reaches the endof its forward stroke, it releases the tape, and the instant it beginsits return movement a finger descends upon the outer terminal of thetape, holding in engagement with the upper edges of the meeting sidewalls of the box and cover. At the end of this cycle a knife descendsand severs the tape,

at which time the conveyor advances the box and cover to the secondposition wherein a channel member mounted at the lower end of avertically reciprocating rod descends upon the tape, loosely pressing itinto engagement v with the opposed inner side walls of the box andcover. As this channel ascends, the box and cover are again advancedinto the final operative position where the tape is firmly pressed intoengagement with the portion of the box and cover, which mechanism willbe described more in detail hereinafter. The hinge is now complete andthe completed boxis now ejected from the machine by the conveyor.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the complete machine;

T Fig. 2.is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a top plan ,view; I

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the mechanism for pressing the tape intofirm engagement with the box and cover;

Fig.5 is a side elevation thereof with the mechanism in raised position;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation partially'in section of the mechanism inlowered-position; 7

Fig.7 is a side elevation of the compressing mechanism with the parts infinal compressing position;

This portion of the and the strip of hinge material is shown in brokenlines at 21 in the position it occupies after it is severed from its weband before it is pressed into place. I

The covers l5 are suitably fed, top down, onto a horizontal conveyorbelt 25 and the boxes are fed, bottom up, onto a second conveyor belt 26positioned immediately therebeneath, each of such belts beingillustrated in Fig. 2 as sloping slightly downwardly toward the machinealthough they may be positioned horizontally if desired. The belts 25and 26 are mounted upon spaced belt pulleys 28 at the outer end andpulleys 29' adjacent to the machine, such pulleys being revolved bysuitable means (not shown). The pulleys 28 are pivotally mounted betweenspaced vertical arms 3%. In order to prevent the boxes from falling offthe belts, suitable guide rails 33 are mounted on opposite sides of theconveyor belts.

The boxes are fed from the conveyor belts 25 and 26 onto a masterconveyor moving at right angles thereto, such conveyor comprising acentrally disposed endless chain 31, carried by spaced sprockets 39 and48, mounted upon shafts l2 and 43, the shafts being journalled betweenvertical supports 44 and 45, respectively.

At suitably spaced intervals the chain 31 is provided with carriers 46comprising angle members which-are secured to the individual links ofthe chain, the space between such carriers being slightly in excess ofthe combined width of the box and cover. As the boxes are fed to the endof the lower conveyor belt 26, they are received, bottom up, upon aplate 48. Each box is then caused to move forward in the direction ofthe arrow, as shown in Fig. l, by engagement with acarrier 0.6 on thechain 31. As the chain continuesto move, the box is guided in itscircular course around the sprocket 39 by means of a pair of spaced,curved guide plates 50 having spaced channel portions 5|, as shown inFig. 2.

As previously stated, this secondary conveyor is intermittently movablea predetermined distance in order to successively position the box inits several working stations. The following means are provided fordriving such conveyor as well as the other operative portions of themachine: An electric motor, or other prime mover 54, having'a shaft 55is positioned between two vertical supports 51, as shown in Fig. 1. Apulley 58 is mounted on the motor shaft 55 and another and larger pulley60 is mounted on a shaft'BI, journalled upon two vertical supports 63,the pulleys being connected by a belt 64.

The opposite end of the shaft BI is provided with a second and smallerpulley 66, and a larger pulley 68 is freely mounted on a cam shaft 69and operatively connected by means of a belt 61. The pulley 68 is'ofsuch size and weight as to constitute a flywheel, and when the machineis in operation the pulley is, of course, constantly rotating. Rotationof the cam shaft 69 is controlled by a lever 18 *mounted' on and keyedto a horizontal boxes.

continuously operating and the master conveyor shaft 10'. At theopposite end-of the shaft 10' a short lever 1| is mounted and is keyedthereto. A pawl 12 mounted at the outer end of the lever 1| and urgeddownwardly by a spring 13 engages a portion 14 adjacent to the lower endof a vertical clutch lever 15. The upper end of the lever is operativelyconnected with conventional clutch means (not shown) between theflywheel 68 and the cam shaft 69. The lever 1| is urged downwardly bymeans of a spring 16 and accordingly, when the foot treadle 11 on thelever 18 is manually depressed by the operator, the lever 1| movesupwardly along the clutch lever, and when the treadle is released, thepawl 12 engages the portion '14 on the clutch lever, and the spring 16,

' drawing the'lever 1| downwardly, also draws the clutch lever 15downwardly. The upper end of the lever 15 is connected with suitableclutch means for causing the flywheel to, become m0- mentarily keyed tothe cam shaft 69 and give it one complete revolution. Inasmuch as suchclutch mechanisms are conventional and well known in the art, nospecific structure to accomplish this purpose is illustrated herein.

Rotation of the cam shaft 69 causes four separate functions to beperformed or, in other words, causes one stepped movement of each of theparts. The first function is to move the The primary conveyors 25 and 26are is, as previously described, intermittently operated under thecontrol of the operator. The following means are provided for moving themaster conveyora sufficient distance to position the respective boxesand covers in their several work- 5 ing stations.

A'substantially cylindrical cam structure 19 is mounted upon the camshaft and is keyed thereto, such cam having, inter alia, an irregular,annular slot providing a pair of equally spaced cam faces. These camfaces 80 are engaged by a roller 82 mounted at the upper end of a lever83 which is centrally pivoted at 84 on a horizontal arm 85 secured toone of the vertical uprights 51. When thecylindrical cam 19-is given onecomplete revolution, this roller travels between the cam faces 80,thereby causing the upper end of the arm to oscillate to the right andthen to the left again, and causing the lower end of the arm tooscillateto the left and then to the right.---

wheel 94. Thus'as the lever 81 is moved to the right and then to theleft, it imparts to the toothed wheel 9| an oscillatory motion. Whenthis wheel is viewed as in Fig. 1, the first part of the movement is ina counter-clockwise direction, and while so moving the pawls pass overthe indented portions 96. When the lever 81, however, begins its reversemovement, the toothed wheel is rotated in a clockwise direction, and thespring-pressed pawls thereby engage the indented portions of the wheel94, causing it to rotate the shaft 42 upon which the sprocket wheel 39is, mounted, and in the relation shown in Fig. 1,

such sprocket 39 is moved through an arc of The toothed wheel 9| isadjacent to gauges? the direction of movement of the conveyor chain- 31by means of the carriers 46. Boxes are fed onto the receiving plate 48from the conveyor belt 26 at such a speed as to present an additionalbox as rapidly as one is conveyed away by the carrier. Thus a box fromthe lower conveyor belt 26 by successive movements eventually passesbeyond the sprocket wheel 39, and before it reaches a point adjacent tothe conveyor belt a box top is fed onto the conveyor chain 31, and thebox and the cover with their rear vertical walls in end to endengagement are thus advanced to the hinged tape-applying station.

The curved de plates 56 which support th box in its arcuate travel aboutthe sprocket are continued in the guide channels I66. It will be assumedthat the box and cover have now been advanced to a point opposite thetape-applying mechanism, which is designated generally as I64. Thismechanism is operated by means of a bell crank lever comprising avertical portion I66 and a horizontal portion I61, which lever ispivotally mounted at I68 on a substantially U-shaped support I69 whichis secured to a horizontal bracket H6 secured to the upper end of thespaced vertical supports 51' by means of a screw III. In order to impartalternate rearward and forward movement to the portion I66 of the bellcrank lever, the portion I61 is actuated by means of an eccentric camI'I3 secured to the cam shaft 69. In order to impart sufiicient movementto the bell crank lever I66, the cam H3 does not directly engage theportion I61 of the lever, but rather engages the upper surface of asecond lever I I5 pivotally mounted at H6 at the opposite end of theU-shaped support I69.

A pin I I 8 mounted at the outer end of the lever II5 travels in a slotH9 in the outer terminal of the bell crank lever arm I61, and thus asthe cam shaft 69 is given one complete revolution, the cam II3 moves thelever H5 downwardly, thereby moving the lower arm I66 of the bell cranklever an approved distance to carry the hinged tape to the box. The;lower end of the lever I66 is pivotally secured at I22 to a link I23,which link is pivotally secured at its opposite end at I24 to ahorizontally reciprocating arm I25.- This arm is mounted within thebrackets I26 having slideways to fit such arm, the brackets beingmounted on a horizontal support I21 as shown in Fig. 1.

- A pawl I36 is also mounted on the pivotal member I24, and as thevertical portion I66 of the bell crank lever is moved rearwardly, thepivoted pawl I36 carried in the arm I25 also moves rearwardly. The armreaches its maximum rearward position, and the forward portion I3I (Fig.3) of the pawl I36 engages a block or projection I33 and moves areciprocating carriage I35 forward.

The carriage comprises an arm I36 suitably mounted for reciprocatingmovement, and above the arm a second arm E38 is mounted by means of aplurality of short links I39 secured at their lower ends to the arm I36.Theprojection I33 is also mounted in the arm I38, and as the pawl I36engages the member I33, the initial forward movement of the pawl causesthe arm I38 to move forward, thereby causing a finger I46 keyed to theforward link I39 to move downwardly. A; plate I42 mounted at the forwardendof the carriage is engaged by this finger as it moves downwardly, andthe forward end of the strip of hinge material (not shown) ispositionedbetween the plate and the finger. Thus a veryslight forwardmovement of'the upper arm I38 causes the forward end of the hinge tapeto be grasped between the plate and the fingeig'and as the pawl I36 Lilcontinues its forward movement the tape is drawn,

forward over the box and'cover, which, as aforesaid, are now positionedrelative tothe tape. The web of tape is not illustrated in the drawingsbut is suitably positioned to the rear of the car riage.

It will be noted in Fig. 1 that the forward end of the finger I46 isformed with a slight cut out portion I44, and as the terminal of thetape reaches'its maximum forward position over the adjacent rear sidewalls of the box, a finger I mounted on a shaft I 41 descends upon theterminal of the tape within the cut out portion IM,

thereby temporarily holding the tape in engagement with the box as thecarriage retracts. The means for actuating this finger will be describedhereinafter.

When the carriage I35 has reached its maxi mum forward position, thepawl I36 is raised, thereby releasing the carriage and permitting it tobe returned by means of a spring 156 secured at its forward end to theforward link I39 and at its rear end to a stationary extension I5I ofthe support for the reciprocating arm I36 of the carriage. Means forraising the pawl I36, thereby releasing the carriage, are provided in ansevered. A knife I66 is mounted on an arm IBI which is pivotally mounted.on the frame'at I62,

the knife being held in place by means of a spring I63. The knife isactuated by means of arod I64 connected between the arm I6I, and thelever 16 having the foot treadle 11.

As was previously described, the cam shaft is caused to make onecomplete revolution when the foot treadle is released, thereby alsoperforming the other several functions. The knife, however, is actuatedas the treadle is depressed by virtue of the direct link connectionbetween the knife and the lever 16.

After the completion of the tape-applying operation, the box and coverare advanced by the master conveyor to the next operating positionwherein the tape, which has taken the position shown in broken lines at2| in Fig. 9, is loosely pressed into engagement with the inner sidewalls of the box, preparatory to applying the final pressure in the lastoperation. I

These last two operations are actuated by means of a pitman I16 mountedconcentrically of the cam shaft 69 and connected with a longitudinallyreciprocating ram I1I. A substantially U-shaped channel member I13 ismounted at the lower end of a vertical support 51 cured to a projectionI15 at one side of the ram Ill, and thus as the box has been moved to aposition relative to the U-shaped channel mem ber I13, this channelmember descends as the ram descends, thereby pressing the tape into aanother member-I18 secured adjacent thereto descends also and engages afinger. I19 keyed to the shaft I 47, thereby depressing the finger MGwhich temporarly holds the tape in place upon the upper meeting edges ofthe box.

After the box has thus been engaged by the channel member I13, it isagain advanced to its finaloperative position wherein means are providedfor firmly compressing the tape in engagement with the box. Themechanism is mounted between a pair of spaced arms I83 which arepivotally mounted on the frame at I84. Means are. provided for raisingthe arms upwardly as thebox is moved into this final operative position.The arms are next caused to descend and the inner surfaces of theadjacent rear walls of the box and cover are thus positioned between butspaced from a pair of jaws, one of which is mounted rigidly between thetwo arms, and the other of which is mounted on a pivoted mem her, alsopositioned on the two arms.

The operation is such that the initial movement of the reciprocating ramcauses the two jaws to move lightly into engagement with the opposedmarginal edges of the tape and then the jaws are caused to move slightlydownwardly, thus moving the marginal edges of the tape downwardly sothat the tape is taut over the upper meeting edges of the box and coverbefore the final squeezing operation. Further move-- ment of the ramthen causes the pivoted member to move downwardly, thereby causing themovable jaw to go firmly into engagement with the box, and thuscompressing the walls together with the hinge tape therebetween.

The spaced arms I83 are joined adjacent to their outer'ends by means ofa transverseplate I85 which carries the stationary jaw I85 on the lowersurface thereof. The movable jaw I81 is mounted on a plate I88 which ispivotally carried on the transverse member at I89. The arms and the jawsare adapted to be raised to the position shown in Fig. 5 to permit thebox and cover to be moved by the master conveyor to the proper positionrelative to the jaws. The arms are raised by means of a link Isl, theupper end of which is pivotally secured at I92 to the lower end of theram. The lower end of the link I9I is provided with a slot I95 throughwhich a pin I93, secured to the pivoted plate I38, passes.

Thus, as the plate I88 is drawn upwards by means of the link I9I, thearms I83 follow. After the box has been properly positioned relative tothe jaws I86 and IE1, further rotation of the cam shaft causes the ramto descend, thereby lowering the entire structure to the position shownin Fig. 6. When in this position the pivoted arms I83 rest upon a pinI91 mounted adjacent to the outer terminal of one of such arms. This pinis longitudinally movable within narrow limits, and a spring I98 urgesthe pin downwardly so that in this position the arms rest upon the frameagainst the compression of the spring.

When in the position shown in Fig. 6, the jaws I36 and I87 lightlyengage the inner vertical walls of the box and cover having the tape inplace therein, and further rotation of the cam shaft causes the lowerend of a pin 2M, having a compresion spring 202 thereon, to engage theouter end of a plate I99 rigidly mounted on the upper surface of thetransverse plate I85. The spring 282 is stronger than the spring I33 onthe pin I97, and as the pin 20! descends, the arms I83 are moveddownwardly until another pin 205 rigidly mounted on one of the arms I83engages the frame .and .arrests further downward movement pin 205 isshown engaging the frame in Fig. 7.

During the, movement of the arms I83 from the position shown. in Fig. 6to that shown in Fig. 7, there is nothing to urge the pivoted plate I88and its movable. jaw I81 downwardly other than thecombined weight ofthese members. This pressure is sufficient, however, to cause the jawsto have a fairlyfirm engagement with the marginal edges of the tape, andas these jaws descend this short distance, they tend to press the edgesof the tape downwardly, thereby taking up any looseness in the tapealong the upper 2f edgesof the box and cover. 1 v

The final downward movement of the ram I'll causes a pin 200 to engagean extension I88 of the pivoted plate I88 and move the same downwardly,thereby causing the movable jaw:

I81 to move toward the jaw I 36 and exert the final squeeze on theopposed surfaces of the tape. As the ram ascends, the jaws are firstseparated and then raised, thereby clearing the way for the completedbox and cover to be ejected from the machine by the master conveyor.

It was previously stated that after the hinge structure was completed, acollar was placed in the box portion for properly aligning the box andcover when the cover is in closed position. A

Means are illustrated in the present machine for applying a glue.stripto the interior of the box so that after the completion of thehinge structure, this collar or liner, as the case may be, may bemanually inserted and the box thus completed. This glue applying meanscomprises a glue pot 2H5 ,mounted on a horizontal support 216. A glueapplying member 2|? is mounted at the lower end of a verticallyreciprocating arm 2I8,

and as the member 2II ascends from the filled glue pot, it deposits agluev strip on the interior of the boxwhich has been fed from the lowerprimary conveyor 26 onto the master conveyor.

The vertically reciprocating arm H8 is actuated by means of a rocker arm220 centrally piv- I oted on the frame at HI and actuated at itsopposite end by means of a reciprocating arm 222. The upper end of thisarm is engaged by a portion 226 of a bell crank lever 221 having aroller 328 at its free end, the roller engaging an annular arm 236centrally pivoted at 234, the opposite end of the arm being operativelyconnected with a vertically reciprocating lever 235. The upper end ofthis lever projects up into the pathway of the box and covers as theyare moved by the master conveyor and acts as a stop therefor while thehinge tape is being initially applied. The use of this stop is, however,optional and in many instances is not required.

. What I claim is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a conveyor for successivelypositioning a box in a plurality of operative stations, means at one ofsuch stations for applying a strip of substantially flexible materialand means at another station for firmly pressing the strip of flexiblematerial into engagement with the box, the first-mentioned meanscomprising a reciprocating member adapted to grasp the end of the tape,move the tape into a proper position relative to the box, and verticallyreciprocating knife for severing the tape from the web from which it isfed,

2. In a machine for applying a hinge to a box and cover, the combinationof an intermittent, longitudinally movable conveyor for moving said boxand cover to a plurality of operative stations, means for feeding therespective boxes and covers to said conveyor, means at one of thestations for applying a strip of flexible hinge material to the adjacentwalls of the box and cover, means at another station for moving themarginal edges of the hinge material into engagement with the opposedvertical walls of the box and cover, and means at a third station forpressing the hinge material into firm engagement with the portions ofthe box and cover, said means comprising a. pair of jaws, a retractablesupport for said jaws and means for moving the jaws together.

3. A machine for applying flexible gummed hinge tape to a box and covertherefor comp-rising an endless conveyor adapted to intermittently movea box and cover into a plurality of operative stations, conveyorsoperating at right angles to the endless conveyor for feeding boxes andcovers successively to the endless conveyor, means for feeding the tapefrom a web of the material to the adjacent walls of the box and cover,said means comprising a reciprocating carriage movable at right anglesto the endless conveyor and provided with fingers adapted to grasp theterminal of the tape and apply it to the appropriate portions of the boxand cover, means for firmly compressing the tape into engagement withthe box and cover, and common means for simultaneously actuating bothforegoing means.

4. In a machine for applying a'hinge member to a box comprising a baseand cover, a conveyor for successively positioning said box in aplurality of operative stations, means at one of such stations forfeeding the material comprising the hinge member to the meeting portionsof the box and cover, means at another station for pressing the materialinto engagement with the box, and means at a third station forcompressing the material into firm engagement with the box, said lattermeans comprising a pair of retractable arms, a stationary jaw membermounted between said arms, a movable jaw pivotally mounted on the armsrelative to the stationary jaws, and means for moving the movable jaw?into engagement with the stationary jaw.

5. In a machine for applying a flexible hinge to a box and covertherefor, a conveyor for successively positioning said box in aplurality of operative stations, means for feeding the boxes to theconveyor, means at one of such stations for feeding the hinge to thebox, and means at another station for compressing the material into firmengagement with the box, said latter means comprising a pair of movablearms, a stationary jaw member mounted between said arms, a movable jawpivotally mounted on the arms relative to the stationary jaws, and meansfor moving the movable jaw into engagement with the stationary jaw.

6. A machine for applying a strip of hinge material to a box and covertherefor, comprising an endless conveyor for successively positioningsaid box and cover in a plurality of operative stations, reciprocatingmeans at one of such stations for feeding the flexible material to thebox and cover, means at another station for pressing the material intoengagement with the box, and means at a third station for compressingthe material into firm engagement with the box, said latter meanscomprising a pair of arms, a pair of jaw members mounted between saidarms, and means for moving one of the jaw members into engagement withthe other member.

7. A hinge applying machine comprising an endless conveyor forsuccessively positioning a box and cover therefor in a plurality ofoperative stations, means at one of such stations for feeding the hingeto the box, means at another station for pressing the hinge intoengagement with the box, and means at a third station for com-' pressingthe material into firm engagement with the box, said latter meanscomprising a stationary jaw member, a movable jaw member, a support forsaid jaw member, and means for moving the movable jaw into engagementwith the stationary jaw with the box and hinge therebetween. 7

8. In a machine for applying a strip of sub stantially flexible materialto a box, an endless conveyor for successively positioning said box in aplurality of operative stations, means for feeding the flexible materialto the desired portions of the box, means at another station forpressing the material into engagement with the box, and means at a thirdstation for compressing the material into firm engagement with the box,said latter means comprising a pair of retractable arms, a stationaryjaw member mounted between said arms, a movable jaw pivotally mounted onthe arms relative to the stationary jaws, and

means for moving the movable jaw into engage,- ment with the stationaryjaw.

9. A machine for applying a strip of hinge material to a box and covertherefor, comprising a conveyor for successively positioning said boxand cover in a plurality of operative stations, reciprocating means atone of such stationsfor feeding the flexible material to the box andcover, said means comprising a reciprocating carriage movable atrightangles to the conveyor, a pair of fingers supported by saidcarriage adapted to grasp the forward end of a strip of the hingematerial and move such strip into applying position relative to the boxand cover, and means at a third station for compressing the materialinto form engagement with the box, said latter means comprising a pairof arms, a pair of jaw members mounted between said arms, and means formoving one of the jaw members into engagement with the other member;

10. In a machine for applying a hinge member to a box comprising aflanged base and cover the combination of means for applying a strip offlexible hinge material from a web of such material, said meanscomprising a reciprocating carriage adapted to move in a path parallelwith and adjacent to the meeting edges of base and coverto which thehinge strip is to be applied, a pair of fingers mounted adjacent to theforward end of said carriage and adapted to receivethe forward end ofthe strip therebetween, means associated with the carriage for mo'vln'gsaid fingers into engagement with the strip as the carriage begins itsforward movement, means for holding the forward end of the strip whendelivered by the fingers into applying position and a knife adapted tosever the strip from the web after the carriage has returnedto startingposition.

11. In a machine for applying a hinge member ber to a box, thecombination of means for applyinga strip of flexible hinge material froma web of such material, said means comprising a reciprocating carriage,a finger rigidly mounted adjacent to the forward end of said carriageand adapted to receive the forward end of the web in the upper surfacethereof, a movable finger mounted above said rigid finger adapted toengage said end of the strip and means associated with the carriage formoving said finger into engagement wtih the web as the carriage beginsits forward movement, and a finger adapted to hold such forward end intoengagement with the box during retracting movement of the carriage.

12. In a machine for afiixing a hinge member to a box comprising aflanged base and cover, the combination of means for applying a strip offlexible hinge material from a web of such material, said meanscomprising a reciprocating carriage adapted to move in a path parallelwith and adjacent to the meeting edges of base and cover to which thehinge strip is to be applied, a plate rigidly mounted adjacent to theforward end of said carriage and adapted to receive the forward end ofthe strip on the upper surface thereof, a movable finger mounted abovesaid plate adapted to engage said end of the strip and means associatedwith the carriage for moving said finger into engagement with the stripas the carriage begins its forward movement, a finger adapted to holdsuch forward end in engagement with the box after the carriage has movedthe strip into applying position and a knife adapted to sever the stripfrom the web after the carriage has returned to starting position.

13. In a machine of the class described having a conveyor adapted tomove a flanged box and cover therefor to a plurality of working stationsand means for applying a strip of flexible hinge material to adjacentportions of box and cover, the combination of means for pressing saidhinge material into firm engagement with opposed inner side walls of boxand cover, said means comprising a pair of jaws,'means for supportingsaid jaws including means for moving said jaws into operative positionafter the box and cover have been conveyed to the pressing station,means for material to adjacent portions of the box and cover, thecombination of means for pressing said hinge material into firmengagement with opposed inner side walls of said box and cover, saidmeans comprising a pair'of jaws having opposed vertical faces, means forsupporting said jaws including means for raising the jaws to permit boxand cover to be conveyed into the pressing station, means for loweringthe jaws after box and cover have entered such position, means forbringing the jaws into engagement with the hinge strip, means for thenlowering'the jaws to draw the strip downwardly into more firm contactwith box and cover and means for exerting final pressure on opposedportions of the hinge strip.

15. Ina machine of the class described having a conveyor adapted to movea flanged box and cover therefor toa plurality of working stations andmeans for applying a strip of flexible hinge material to adjacentportions of box and cover,

the combination of means for pressing said hinge material into firmengagement with the opposed inner side walls of box and cover, saidmeans comprising a pair of jaws having opposed vertical faces, means forsupporting said jaws including means for raising the jaws to permit boxand cover to be conveyed into operative, position, means for loweringthe jaws after box and cover have entered such position, means formoving one jaw relative to the other to engage the hinge strip, meansfor then lowering the jaws to draw the strip downwardly into more firmcontact with box and cover and means for exerting final pressure onopposed portions of the hinge strip including a reciprocating plungeradapted to engage the movable jaw and means for actuating said plunger.

LOUIS TRIOLO.

